Social Issues

February 21, 2018

The whole state of TN rejoiced as S Daswant the convicted murderer of Hasini a 7-year-old was sentenced to death on Feb 19th. Minutes after the sentence was announced by the judge, Daswant screamed out, “Don’t believe what they say, they are b******s!” Daswant gave an angry stare at the policemen and the prosecution as the courtroom fell silent.

Earlier when he was arrested for the second time after he had killed his mother and escaped in December, he had submitted a 6 page letter to the judge saying he just wanted the punishment and did not wish to go on trial. The judge had dismissed the same and asked him to proceed with a lawyer on the next move. Daswant stood silently as Special judge Velmurugan at Mahila Court listed out the six sections under which he was convicted. He has been convicted under sections 363 (kidnapping), 366 (kidnapping, abduction), 354-b (assault or use of criminal force on woman with intent to disrobe), 302 (murder), and 201 (causing disappearance of evidence) of the IPC and section 8 read with 7, 6, 5(M) of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act. When the judge finished reading, Dhasvanth immediately said, “I want minimum punishment.”

From the beginning of the trial, he showed no guiltiness for raping a 7-year-old, suffocating her, putting the body in a bag and setting it on fire. When he was brought in to the trial he was found casually chatting with the policemen around him. Prosecution Lawyer Kannadasan was reading out the charge sheet when Daswant screamed, “Don’t believe what the prosecution and police say. They are a bunch of idiots.” He then asked for a pen and a piece of paper. Lawyer Rajkumar from Legal aide center asked Daswant to remain silent but Daswant started scribbling something on the paper before the judge could read out the sentence.

Once the judge announced the sentence, Hasini’s father started wailing tears of both joys at the justice and remorse at his daughter’s death when Daswant started yelling, ‘Excuse me, excuse me’ as the judge got up from his seat about to leave.

Daswant then started swearing all kinds of bad words at the cops and the public as he was being taken away. Public outside the courtroom gathered to hail the verdict and policemen started distributing chocolates. Some people complimented the cops while others started burning fireworks to celebrate justice being served!